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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743429">Daniel Espinoza: Naked and Afraid</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuddlerOfDragons/pseuds/CuddlerOfDragons'>CuddlerOfDragons</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lucifer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:06:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,386</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuddlerOfDragons/pseuds/CuddlerOfDragons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While we all wait for season 5, here's a little fic inspired by the title of one of the forthcoming episodes.</p>
<p>Stay safe.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Daniel Espinoza: Naked and Afraid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>He had the strangest feeling of déjà vu, as he undressed. Déjà vu and - as he glanced around at the chrome shelves, laden with <em>innocuous </em>things - inexplicable, heart-pounding <em>terror</em>.</p>
<p>He was meant to be here for <em>sex</em>, wasn’t he?</p>
<p>A slight sound, behind him, caused him to spin around, ready to face… cruet sets. They clustered, <em>menacingly</em>, on the shelf, looking… perfectly normal.</p>
<p>A movement, right on the edge of his peripheral vision, had him reacting <em>again</em>, this time to the <em>terrifying </em>threat of… a metal coffee pot, his own eyes reflected - badly - in its curved surface.</p>
<p><em>‘Get a grip, Dan.’ </em>He muttered, under his breath. Maybe he wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing… maybe he should put his clothes back on and just…</p>
<p>There was a quiet tap at the door.</p>
<p>His heart rate increased until he could actually <em>hear </em>it - not just the blood ringing through his ears but…</p>
<p>The door handle moved.</p>
<p>He backed up against the shelf that had the cruet sets - <em>please don’t let them hurt me - </em>ridiculous, do cruets even <em>have </em>teeth? He didn’t know, he couldn’t think straight, the door was opening - slowly - and he didn’t want to see what was out there and he didn’t want the horrid things on the shelves to have access to his naked - <em>unprotected </em>- back and he could feel them moving, behind him, their glass bodies clinking against each other as they…</p>
<p>The door swung open.</p>
<p>The <em>official </em>story behind the death of the man who <em>currently </em>stood in the doorway, was that he’d taken a certain <em>civilian consultant</em> hostage and had then been shot dead, by a certain <em>police lieutenant</em>.</p>
<p>Dan had always known that there was more <em>to </em>it than that, though. Chloe had been <em>furious </em>with Lucifer, in a way that she <em>wouldn’t </em>have been, had the police report been actually <em>true</em>.</p>
<p>Dan had always wondered if <em>Lucifer </em>had killed this man. If Pierce had covered it up, that <em>might </em>explain how Chloe had ended up dating - <em>and </em>getting engaged - to a man that she <em>clearly </em>disliked.</p>
<p>The <em>(bogus) </em>Sinnerman seemed to stare into Dan’s soul, despite <em>not </em>having any eyes. He cleared his throat, while Dan gazed at the empty eye sockets and the mangled optic nerves in their bloodstained depths.</p>
<p>“He <em>wanted </em>to kill me but he couldn’t. It takes something <em>extra</em>, to kill in cold blood, he didn‘t have it in him.” The man said, his voice placid, <em>mellow</em>. “He even tried to make me look <em>mean</em>..” A bandage appeared across his face, hiding his injuries; black <em>eyes? - </em>looking more like <em>spiders - </em>drawn, crudely,in the appropriate places. “..but it didn’t help. Father told me that Lucifer was The Devil and he would kill me and then I would be healed <em>and </em>immortal… but he <em>couldn’t, </em>so <em>Father</em> killed me and I just... <em>died.”</em></p>
<p><em>‘You need to wake up, now.’ </em>Dan muttered, desperately.</p>
<p>“Think you’re <em>dreaming</em>, Esperanza?” <em>Pierce </em>was standing behind the nameless patsy who had <em>pretended </em>to be The Sinnerman, looking horribly pleased with himself. He had a gun in his hand.</p>
<p>“I failed you, Father.” Bogus Sinnerman sounded <em>exactly </em>like a chastened child and Dan was <em>so </em>confused - there were <em>obvious </em>reasons why Pierce <em>couldn’t </em>be the man’s father; age difference, ethnicity…</p>
<p>The sound of the gunshot broke his chain of thought.</p>
<p>“You <em>did </em>fail me.” Pierce said, a certain amount of satisfaction in his voice. “<em>All </em>my children do but, to be fair, I <em>did </em>lie to you all,“ He dropped his voice to a whisper, as though he was imparting a great secret. “About the immortality.”</p>
<p>Dan glanced down at the corpse at Pierce’s feet, confused to find that it wasn‘t a <em>man </em>at all. His breath caught on a sob and his heart lurched in his chest.</p>
<p>It was Charlotte.</p>
<p>Pierce kicked her corpse, contemptuously.</p>
<p>“I was aiming for Amenadiel, <em>this </em>stupid bitch jumped in front of him.” He sneered.</p>
<p>The door swung shut.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>They were both terribly drunk. At <em>lunch</em>time. <em>That </em>couldn’t be right, could it?</p>
<p>Dan had never known drinks to hit him that <em>fast</em> - not even when he was young - and, by the looks of her, Charlotte was having the same problem.</p>
<p>“I <em>love </em>how weird you are.” He said. <em>Then</em>, in his head: <em>‘I love <b>you</b>, now and <b>forever</b>; with all of my heart and soul and any other cliché you might like to hear.’ </em>“But I should go.” Is what <em>actually </em>came out of his mouth.</p>
<p>“Or,” She said, her voice full of mischief. “You could duck into that closet, take off all your clothes… I’ll go freshen up… meet you in there… then.. do the same.”</p>
<p>“That’s really not a good idea.” His mouth said, while his brain was saying <em>‘yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…’</em></p>
<p>He was more nervous than he <em>should </em>be, now. Terrified, truth be told. His naked butt pressed against the shelf - cold metal, doubtless leaving its mark on his skin - as he stared at the closed door and wished it would just stay <em>closed</em>.</p>
<p>He was shaking. The glass cruets lurking at his back were clinking together and…</p>
<p>The door swung open.</p>
<p>Lucifer was kneeling on the ground, holding the corpse of Rookie-Uni-Joan… <em>what</em> was her lastname again? Dan couldn’t remember. What he <em>did </em>remember… was looking into Lucifer’s stricken face and putting the blame firmly on <em>him</em>.</p>
<p>“He didn’t <em>let </em>me go.” Julian McCaffrey’s <em>smug </em>voice spoke into Dan’s ear. “I dumped a load of barrels on him, I was <em>hoping </em>he’d be killed but <em>that </em>didn’t work out. At least it gave me a chance to get a head start…”</p>
<p>Dan looked down at Lucifer, at the torn and grubby jacket of his suit, at his devastated eyes…</p>
<p>“Why didn’t <em>you</em> tell me that?” Dan asked Lucifer.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to make <em>excuses </em>for her death - I had the opportunity to <em>hurt </em>him, back there - Joan <em>died </em>because <em>I </em>chose not to.” Lucifer lowered his eyes and Dan flinched; the man’s body language was too much like that of an abused child - something he’d seen a lot of, over the course of his career - guilt welled up inside him.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..’</em>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The door swung open.</p>
<p>The man outside the door was <em>huge</em>. Dan recognised him instantly - Greg ‘<em>Pony Boy’ </em>Grabowski- Jacob Tiernan’s thug-for-hire. The man looked down at Dan as though he was even smaller than he felt.</p>
<p>“You managed to wangle a freebie.” He said, gesturing at the floor. “Smart move, telling my boss about this guy, knowing he’d pay <em>me </em>to take him out. So, tell me, Mr. LAPD, what was <em>your </em>beef with the deceased?”</p>
<p>Dan looked down at the limp and crumpled body of Lucifer Morningstar, a single bullet hole marring his perfect face.</p>
<p>“Pity you didn’t get to <em>watch</em>.” Grabowski said. “I know, I know, <em>you </em>had to establish an <em>alibi </em>but it’s a shame; you’d have enjoyed the show. He <em>begged </em>for his life - proper begging, on his <em>knees</em>; him <em>and </em>the hot snatch he had with him.”</p>
<p>Dan looked at Eve’s broken body; dead but she <em>hadn’t </em>been shot - nothing so merciful - her bruises and torn clothes told quite another story. All <em>his </em>fault.</p>
<p>He was drowning in his guilt.</p>
<p>“Can’t leave <em>any </em>witnesses, though, sorry.” Grabowski didn’t sound sorry in the least.</p>
<p>Dan tore his eyes from the corpses on the floor and dragged them back up to where Trixie dangled from one of Grabowski’s meaty fists.</p>
<p>Alive, she stared at him with utter hatred.</p>
<p>“<em>You </em>made this happen, Dad?” She spat, furious. “<em>You </em>had Lucifer <em>murdered?  </em>Why would you <em>do</em> that?”</p>
<p>“I…” He didn’t know. Julian McCaffrey had <em>deserved </em>what he’d got and <em>more </em>and Dan had thrown Lucifer to the <em>wolves</em> on a ‘gut feeling’ and the coincidence of a cigarette brand. Not even proper <em>evidence</em>.</p>
<p>“You wait ‘til <em>Mom</em> finds out.” Trixie said and Dan shivered.</p>
<p>“Sorry kid, that’s not gonna happen.” Grabowski looked, knowingly, at Dan. “Your dad got what <em>he </em>wanted, <em>you’re </em>just collateral damage.”</p>
<p>Before Dan could react, the thug had shot Trixie through the back of the head, her sweet, <em>angry</em>, little face dissolving into an exit wound…</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The door swung open.</p>
<p>“I’d like to thank you, Daniel,” Lucifer’s voice said. “Before I go.”</p>
<p>Dan looked down to where Lucifer was kneeling, on the floor at his feet, a gun in his hand.</p>
<p>“Thank me for what?” Dan asked, his voice trembling.</p>
<p>“Why for helping me, of course.” He waved the gun and Dan recognised it. “An ironic touch, I thought. <em>You </em>took it out of evidence, once, so Malcolm could shoot me with it. I thought it would be fitting if I took it out again - full circle?”</p>
<p>“Don’t.”</p>
<p>“You never pulled any punches, I admire you for that. You always called me out on ‘all the bullshit’ as you so charmingly put it and, of course, you were right. <em>This </em>is what I deserve. The world will be a better, <em>safer </em>place without me.”</p>
<p>“Please don’t. Think of <em>Chloe</em>, what this’ll <em>do </em>to her…”</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t worry about <em>that</em>, I’ve got it <em>all </em>worked out, The Detective will <em>never </em>find my body.”</p>
<p>He put the barrel of the gun into his mouth, looking up at Dan, his eyes bottomless wells of despair but with a hint of <em>anticipation </em>- the relief of it all <em>ending </em>soon - and Dan watched in helpless horror, as Lucifer’s finger tightened on the trigger…</p>
<p>“Please don’t, I’m sorry, <em>please</em>…”</p>
<p>Then, he heard another door opening somewhere and the scene before him froze.</p>
<p>“Well, Daniel, this all looks <em>very </em>unpleasant.” <em>Another </em>Lucifer walked in behind the first one and then the <em>first </em>one disappeared. “What in the world are you <em>doing </em>back here? There’s <em>drinks </em>in the bar. And, as much as I <em>appreciate </em>the view, <em>you </em>might feel a bit better if you put your clothes back on; then, meet me out <em>there </em>and you can explain it all to me.” The second <em>(real?) </em>Lucifer said.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“I didn’t know what you’d fancy, so I got everything.” Lucifer said, gesturing at the shots lined up in front of him. He looked around at the place. “<em>Now, </em>where are we..? Ooh, <em>I</em> know, Charlotte used to come in here, sometimes.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, she came in with <em>me</em>, this one time and we got very drunk…”</p>
<p>“And wound up naked in that cupboard, back there?” Lucifer almost sounded impressed.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Well <em>I</em> did, <em>she </em>was meant to join me but a member of staff caught me, first.”</p>
<p>“Feel less vulnerable, now your clothes are back on?” Lucifer asked, smiling at what Dan had told him but not wanting to be overly bothered with the details.</p>
<p>“Much. What are <em>you </em>wearing? That’s the weirdest suit I’ve ever seen on you.” Edgily stylish, it looked to be made of various <em>leathers </em>- some smooth, some with fur, some with scales - all <em>beautifully </em>tailored into a whole, that would have been more at home at the Oscars after-party <em>and</em>, would have the more sartorially <em>eccentric </em>Hollywood A-listers <em>weeping </em>with envy.</p>
<p>“Do you like it? It’s one of many; I have dear Alexander run them up for me. They’re made from the pelts of my enemies. I tan the hides myself, using the.. ah.. <em>previous </em>occupant’s own brain matter; it’s labour intensive, takes a <em>long </em>time to do it <em>right </em>but the quality of the results make it <em>well </em>worth the effort <em>and </em>it sends a message to the others…” He drained his glass and poured himself another. Dan downed a couple of random shots. “So, tell me, Daniel, how did you end up here?”</p>
<p>“You came and got me, just now.”</p>
<p>“No. I <em>mean</em> how did you <em>die?”</em></p>
<p>“I… you think I’m <em>dead?”</em></p>
<p>“Well yes, <em>obviously</em>; do keep up, this is <em>Hell</em>, after all and <em>your </em>Hell seems to be… public nudity and watching <em>me </em>kill myself? Odd, even for you.”</p>
<p>“That’s because it’s <em>my </em>fault that you… did that.”</p>
<p>“You think I <em>killed </em>myself? What<em>ever</em> did The Detective <em>tell </em>you?” Lucifer asked, chuckling.</p>
<p>“<em>She </em>said that you had a family emergency and you probably couldn’t come back.” Dan downed another shot. “But… I overheard <em>Maze </em>telling her what a <em>selfish </em>bastard you were, not talking to <em>her </em>or <em>Linda</em>, first but that if <em>Chloe </em>couldn’t convince you that life on Earth was worth staying for, then <em>no one </em>could…” He swallowed yet <em>another </em>shot. “…and Chloe was so obviously <em>grieving - </em>not just… like you’d gone off to Vegas, again <em>- </em>and then your <em>lawyer </em>showed up with all that <em>paperwork</em>, signing over <em>‘all your worldly goods to Chloe Jane Decker and her descendents, in perpetuity‘… </em>a bit dramatic but I‘d expect <em>your </em>’last will and testament’ to be nothing less.<em>”</em></p>
<p>“The Detective and The Spawn didn’t get <em>every</em>thing, don’t exaggerate, I left provisions for Maze, Linda, Charlie, Miss Lopez… am I leaving anyone out?” Lucifer asked, smirking.</p>
<p>“Yeah, sorry, I should have thanked you, first off, for the autographed action movie dvd collection. I had to buy a set of shelves, specially. Looked <em>great </em>in my apartment…”</p>
<p>“But?”</p>
<p>“I just felt so <em>guilty</em>, man. You <em>came </em>to me, to <em>me </em>of all people, saying how much you <em>hated </em>yourself and I… <em>knew </em>you had self esteem issues - all those lovers we interviewed, that time, proved <em>that </em>- and I knew that you had <em>previous </em>for suicidal tendencies but I still… <em>blamed </em>you for… <em>everything </em>and, I didn’t… even <em>try </em>to help… just made it <em>worse</em>… and I <em>almost </em>got you, Eve and Trixie killed… and…”</p>
<p>With no sense of transition, he was back in the closet - naked again and cringing against the shelving - the door swinging open to reveal <em>Pierce</em>. The man was holding a gun to Lucifer’s head.</p>
<p>“He didn’t tell you <em>I </em>was The Sinnerman because I threatened to kill your <em>brat</em>.” Pierce said, before calmly pulling the trigger…</p>
<p>“Daniel? Come on, stay with me, you don’t <em>want </em>to be back in there…” Lucifer’s voice was soothing and he could feel him lightly slapping his face.</p>
<p>“Wha..?” He was back sitting at the bar, as though nothing had happened.</p>
<p>“Your guilt got the better of you, again. Have another drink and try not to think about it.”</p>
<p>Dan threw back another shot and, when the burn in his throat had settled, felt ready to speak again.</p>
<p>“I think, mostly, I <em>envied </em>you. You just had it <em>all</em>, man - money, looks, sex with… <em>anyone </em>you <em>wanted </em>- Chloe…”</p>
<p>“Oh <em>no</em>, Daniel, I never ‘<em>had’ </em>The Detective; in <em>any </em>sense of that word.” Lucifer looked, for an instant, the way the other - suicidal - Lucifer had looked.</p>
<p>Dan flinched.</p>
<p>“I tried to <em>find </em>you… how <em>does </em>someone like you just disappear, if they’re <em>not </em>dead? Every time there was a ‘John Doe’, with your height, build and hair colour, <em>anywhere </em>on this damned<em> planet</em>, I was notified. Can you even <em>imagine </em>how many there’s been? How many <em>morgues </em>I’ve been to, on <em>this </em>continent <em>alone</em>, to check that none of them were <em>you?”</em></p>
<p>“No, I really can’t. If you believed I was <em>dead</em>, what were you trying to <em>achieve?”</em></p>
<p>“Closure, I guess; for Chloe, for me… Find out <em>how </em>you died…”</p>
<p>“Really, Daniel, that’s <em>ambitious, </em>for a man who doesn’t even know how <em>he </em>died.”</p>
<p>“I’m<em> not</em> dead, man; this is just a <em>really </em>weird dream.”</p>
<p>“And, as you can see, <em>I’m </em>not dead. I’m glad we sorted <em>that </em>out; <em>now</em>, to business, what, <em>exactly </em>do you feel guilty about?” If Dan was happier thinking this was a dream, Lucifer wasn’t going to push it.</p>
<p>“Your suicide, for one.”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, already dealt with; I’m <em>not </em>dead and even if I <em>had </em>killed myself, it wouldn’t have been because of <em>you</em>, you’re just not <em>that </em>important.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Dan said, uncertainly. The crack about his lack of importance, was reminding him just <em>why </em>he couldn’t get on with this man and the guilt was <em>definitely </em>fading.</p>
<p>“So, what else? Palmetto?”</p>
<p>“No. Not really; only the part where Chloe took the brunt of the bad feeling but I <em>couldn</em>‘<em>t</em> come clean because I didn‘t know who <em>else </em>was involved. Malcolm was going to shoot her, so I <em>had </em>to open fire on <em>him </em>and, of course, once everyone <em>else </em>in the room started shooting…” He shrugged, the carnage had been inevitable but the only casualties had been bad guys.</p>
<p>“Perry Smith?”</p>
<p>“You <em>know </em>about that? Maze <em>told </em>you?”</p>
<p>“No. Smithmentioned it, between <em>screams</em>.” Lucifer looked intently at Dan, making something squirm in him. “I take a keen interest in <em>anyone, </em>down here, who’s crossed The Detective, in <em>any </em>way. A hobby of sorts.”</p>
<p>“The Russians were <em>always </em>gonna get him; Maze and I just speeded up the process.”</p>
<p>“True. No guilt there, then.”</p>
<p>“Telling Tiernan that you crippled his son…”</p>
<p>“Knowing that he’d see me dead for it. Yes, I can see that there’d be a <em>lot </em>of guilt attached to that, especially with what almost happened to The Spawn…”</p>
<p>“I didn’t <em>know </em>he was a killer, when I <em>told </em>him. I thought that he’d ruin you… <em>professionally</em>, not <em>that</em>… not…” All he could see was Eve, Lucifer and Trixie, <em>dead </em>because of him. “I still blamed you for Charlotte but… after you’d <em>gone</em>, Amenadiel said that it was <em>his </em>fault - that <em>he </em>told her about Pierce - and it was <em>his </em>life she was saving, when Pierce shot…” He stifled a sob. “And the statements from people who owed The Sinnerman favours… <em>all </em>talked about how he’d threaten loved ones, as an added incentive to get what he wanted. That’s why <em>Charlotte </em>didn’t tell me and why <em>you </em>didn’t… he threatened people you cared about…”</p>
<p>“Yes, indirectly; before I knew that The Sinnerman was <em>him</em>.” Lucifer said, putting a hand on Dan’s shoulder. “I forgive you, Douche; now, it’s time for <em>you </em>to forgive yourself.” He could feel Hell starting a rejection process, as Dan’s guilt faded.</p>
<p>“I don’t know <em>how</em>.”</p>
<p>“But you <em>want </em>to, yes? Nothing <em>bad </em>happened to Beatrice, Eve <em>or </em>me because of what <em>you </em>did. You just made a few mistakes; it’s not <em>your </em>fault that <em>I</em> had to come back <em>here</em>…”</p>
<p>“You didn’t kill yourself.” Dan said the words carefully, <em>savouring </em>the meaning and the relief it brought. “You left of your own freewill and <em>chose </em>to make Chloe unhappy. Trixie and Eve are still alive and <em>you’re </em>an asshole.”</p>
<p>“That’s the spirit - drown the guilt in douchiness.” Lucifer smiled, saluting Dan with his glass of scotch. He felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle, as a dimensional portal started to manifest.</p>
<p>Behind him, Dan heard the dread sound of the closet door opening and clutched his shot glass tighter.</p>
<p>“Hey Waffle-King, wanna come with me, before a certain ‘Higher Authority’ changes his mind?” Charlotte’s voice was quiet but clear, across the space between them and Dan was frightened to turn around in case he broke the spell.</p>
<p>“Well, that’s the best offer you’ll <em>ever </em>get. Off you pop.” Lucifer spun him round on the stool, until he was facing the open door.</p>
<p>Instead of the terrifying closet, all he could see, behind Charlotte, was brilliant white light. He stood up and took a tentative step towards her, if this was a dream, he didn’t want to risk waking up.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Lucifer, for making this possible.” Charlotte said, with a sad smile. She took Dan’s hand and led him towards the light.</p>
<p>“Can’t <em>he </em>come too?” Dan asked, turning to look back at Lucifer, standing, alone - in a room that was starting to disappear - and wanting to do something nice for him.</p>
<p>“I’m barred from Heaven, Daniel.”</p>
<p>“<em>That’s </em>not fair, what I said to you, before, wasn’t <em>true</em>; you‘re <em>not </em>a bad guy.”</p>
<p>“Yes, well, that’s as maybe but <em>I’m</em> barred from Heaven because I’m The<em> Devil</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, okay, you expect me to <em>believe </em>that The <em>actual</em> Devil, <em>ruler </em>of Hell, is a… <em>dick?” </em>Dan laughed, as Charlotte - rolling her eyes - pulled him further away.</p>
<p>The light faded, taking Charlotte and Dan with it. Lucifer was left, standing in the ashy corridor, as though Dan’s room - and all the good drinks - had never existed.</p>
<p><em>‘<b>That</b> went well,’ </em>He thought. <em>‘Easier than I expected. Perhaps, <b>now</b>, I can persuade <b>Delilah</b> to leave…’</em></p>
<p>　</p>
<p>　</p>
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